MAGPIE'S MUMBLINGS

A blog about my interests, which include fabric landscapes and various and assorted other artsy pursuits and sometimes known to contain mumblings of a random nature.

Friday, December 20, 2013

The big (and final) REAL Studio Reveal!

The past two weeks I have been taking part in Vicki's 'Real Studio Tour' and today is the last week for the tour.  In week one we revealed our favourite non-sewing tools and in week two it was our favourite storage solutions.


This week, and one that is likely a hard one for a lot of us, it to post pictures of our studios...as they are.  Warts, mess, and all.  No cleaning up, no making pretty for the camera and the world at large.  Just the real deal. 

So, here goes...


Above is an overall view of my 'studio', which also serves as a spare bedroom
(with pull-out couch), computer room, and pretty much
anything that doesn't fit anywhere else in our apartment.




To the left of the door is our water cooler (kitchen is too small for it to have a home there).  You can see the sign on the wall that is reserving that space for a new bookcase, which has arrived since these pictures were taken and is waiting to be put together).


To the right of the non-existent bookcase, is my computer area.  It's difficult to tell in this picture, but the section that is covered in blue and white swings out and that's what I use for an ironing board.  That 'fabric' on top is a made-for-ironing pad and I also have a folded towel beneath it to absorb any excess heat.


This is my cutting table....a vintage kitchen table, which is up on blocks to make it high enough for me to stand and work comfortably.  Above the table is my inspiration board...a mirror in a past life.  Beneath the table is a cabinet which hold fabric, projects that are waiting their turn, and a container that holds all the rolls of things I use.  


We've turned the corner now, and beneath the window is where I do my sewing and hand stitching.  It's a very small table so tends to get very messy very quickly when I'm working on projects.  Beneath it (hard to see) is a plastic grocery box that currently is holding some of the white laces and supplies I'm using in my white cloth project.  You can see that piece on the table.


This is the next corner.  Another re-purposed cabinet.  This one holds a lot!!  On the top is one of those lazy-susan type things (normally used by scrapbookers) which holds my markers, small sewing tools, and whatever else seems to fit.  To the left of it is a little corner cabinet which also holds some little things - collectibles and more sewing supplies. (p.s. See the final picture for another view of this area and  further explanation of what's there).  The top section in the unit is all my watchmakers cases filled with beads.  More beads in the section below that, and behind the closed doors is fabric.  The jumble pile on the floor is all the white fabrics I am cutting up to use in my white embroidery work.

Here you can see the pull-out couch, along with the stack of books that are currently leaning against the wall waiting for the bookcase to be constructed.  In order to fit the new bookcase into the room, the water cooler has to be moved and will be going into the spot where you see the books now.  What was there?  Well...see those bit plastic totes in the front of the picture?  They were full (and I mean FULL!!) of denim scraps, which I have gotten rid of and the totes have been re-homed to a friend.  To the right (and out of the picture) is a four drawer filing cabinet tucked right in the corner.


 We have turned the corner once again and now we come to my closet.  It has floor to ceiling sliding doors and here I've shown you just one side of it.  The lower plastic shelving units contain all my crazy quilt fabric stash...sorted loosely into colours.  The two areas above that hold all sorts of crafting goodies - all labeled so I can find things fairly easily.  I haven't shown you the other side of the closet, because it's just more of the same.  To the right you can glimpse the doorway back out into the hall.








And below is the second photo of the corner unit.  On the wall I have a thread spool holder that my husband made for me.  Below that is a little shelf that holds things like my scissors and some of my pincushions that have been given to me....all within easy reach when I'm sewing.  You can see the top of the cabinet better in this picture and can now see the plastic little drawer unit I use for storing small sewing 'bits' - things like dome fasteners, sewing machine needles and such. 


So, there you have it....
my studio....warts and all.
Hope you enjoyed seeing it!
Thanks Vicki, this has been such fun!!

13 comments:

  1. I visited your blog a few times, to review details of your studio. It is so well organized, I envy.
    I must start 2014 with a well organized studio like yours, thanks for sharing.
    Merry Christmas,
    Rengin, in Istanbul

    ReplyDelete
  2. Loved the tour! You've made such wonderful use of what you had to hand (furniture) and arranged it so well in that small space. :-) Cozy!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have made the most of a small space. I love how you use the computer table ad a double duty ironing surface. That's perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is without tidying and sorting??? I'm stagamazed at your orderliness. Gads, you can't get far enough back in my studio to find a place to stand to take pix... and another thing: you have about ten corners in this room, how did you manage that, huh? great fun looking around. My inner nosyparker liked this a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a cool ironing board! Great space!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You have made good use of the multipurpose room. Luckily it has a closet for that extra bit of storage. I hope your bookcase will be in place soon!

    ReplyDelete
  7. good use of an extra bedroom - looks like you are using every space you can very well!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Nice job! Your studio looks very efficient and its not messy at all!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:46 PM

    Great use of space! I love how organized you are. And of course, I adore your table!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a lovely space. Looks like you have everything you need right at your fingertips.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I really like how you have maximized the space available in your closet!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Just got around to looking at everyones studio linked up with Vicki!!
    Your white table on blocks has solved an issue for me - I have a pine table and wanted to put two storage drawer sets underneath but it wasn't high enough and so I did nothing - but now I shall follow your lead and raise it up! Why did I not think of that. You too have made great use of your space.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Nice tour! I didn't see many warts though, lol. I like your swing out ironing station. And congrats on that new bookshelf unit! Sounds like you are getting lots of organizing completed!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for leaving comments! I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy life to talk to me. It's wonderful to know that someone is actually reading my mumblings and even more fun if I can connect with you and visit your blog.